Here in Lexington, at Hull's Drive-in, a summer weekend still takes a back seat to a double feature — a tradition more than 3,000 American towns have lost since the 1980s as land values and entertainment tastes changed.

"It's like sitting on the front porch," says Elise Sheffield.

But when Hull's closed, the town focused on saving it, because the view for Elise and Eric Sheffield was too good to lose.